Brit Watch: Young hopefuls take on 2026 F1 support series season openers
24 March 2026As the 2026 season starts to take shape, Britain’s next generation of talent is wasting no time in getting stuck into the action across Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 Academy.
Across the categories, the young Brits experienced everything from tough learning weekends to breakthrough podiums. The opening rounds in Melbourne and Shanghai offered a snapshot of the journeys these young drivers are on.
Here’s how the British contingent got on at the 2026 curtain-raisers.
Formula 2
John Bennett
Entering his second season in Formula 2, John Bennett faced an uphill battle in Melbourne. After qualifying 17th, the Brit fought hard in both races but only managed 15th in the Sprint Race before crossing the line 18th in the Feature.
Cian Shields
Fellow Brit Cian Shields didn’t fare any better, enduring a challenging start to his sophomore F2 campaign. After qualifying 20th, Shields finished 19th in both the Sprint and Feature Races.
Formula 3
Freddie Slater
One of the standout stories of the weekend came in Formula 3, where 17-year-old Freddie Slater announced himself to the Formula 1 paddock.
The Audi junior, and youngest driver on the grid, impressed immediately by qualifying an outstanding third at Albert Park. After finishing ninth in the Sprint Race, all eyes were on the Feature, and Slater delivered.
A lightning start saw him sweep around the outside into second at Turn 1, before briefly challenging for the lead. Though he dropped back to third in the opening laps, the Brit showed composure beyond his years.
Biding his time, Slater reclaimed third late on before executing a bold move around the outside at Turn 9 to snatch second place. With the race ending under Safety Car conditions, he secured his first Formula 3 Feature Race podium – a remarkable result to kick off his debut season.
F1 Academy
Alisha Palmowski
12 months on from her Race 1 victory at the 2025 Shanghai event, Red Bull junior Alisha Palmowski returned to F1 Academy for a second season and produced another strong showing in China.
Starting eighth in Race 1, she carved her way through the field to finish fifth, but Race 2 was where she truly showed she’s a viable threat for the 2026 title.
She stormed to pole position by four tenths of a second and followed up that blistering one-lap pace with the fastest lap during the race.
Off the line, a slow getaway dropped her to third, but she never fell out of contention. A late Safety Car reshuffled the order, and when the race resumed, Palmowski capitalised on a mistake ahead to move into second. Despite applying intense pressure in the closing stages, she had to settle for P2, capping off an impressive weekend.
Ella Lloyd
McLaren junior Ella Lloyd delivered a pair of determined comeback drives across both races.
Starting 10th in Race 1, she climbed to seventh and set the fastest lap, while in Race 2, Lloyd made a blistering start, gaining ground immediately before pulling off a decisive double overtake on Lap 2 to move into the top six.
A late-race opportunity promoted her to fifth, and she continued to push, closing in on fourth place before the chequered flag. Two consistent finishes marked a solid start to her campaign.
Megan Bruce
Fellow Brit Megan Bruce finished 12th in Race 1 from 14th on the grid, and improved further in Race 2, climbing to ninth to secure her first points finish in F1 Academy.
Rachel Robertson
Rachel Robertson narrowly missed out on points in Race 1, finishing 10th after starting 12th. Race 2 proved more difficult for her, however, as she was forced to retire, cutting short a weekend where she’d showed promising pace.
Ella Stevens
Ella Stevens is the only British driver on the 2026 F1 Academy grid to have never raced in the series before, and she delivered consistent if understated results across both races.
She finished 11th in Race 1, matching her starting position, before taking 12th in Race 2 after another clean drive in a tightly packed field.
Looking ahead
With Freddie Slater and Alisha Palmowski’s podiums providing an early highlight and plenty of lessons learned elsewhere, the British contingent will be eager to build momentum as the season unfolds.
